Shoe heel construction



March 5,.1935. T.-WERKMAN 4 9 HEEL CQNSTRUCTION r Filed April 2. 1954 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SHOE HEEL-CONSTRUCTION J Theodore Workman, Los Angeles, Calif. Application April 2, 1934, Serial No. 718,645

6 Claims, (01. 36-36) This invention relates to a construction of shoe heels, and the invention is particularly adaptable when applied to rubber heels. Ordinary rubber heels usually become worn at the rear edge, and generally slightly to one side of the longitudinal axis of the heel, and soon have to be replaced with anentire new rubber heel. a considerable loss of good rubber in the forward part'of the heel.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a heel with a quick detachablerear section, which, when worn, can readily be removed and replaced with a new unworn section. One of the objects is to provide a construction for securing the detachable section in such a way that it. can be readily removed, and replaced without the necessity of employing a shoe-maker.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple means for securing the detachable section to the body of the heel, in such a way that the removable sections are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the heel, so as to enable these sections to be interchangeable, that is tosay, a removable section may be attached either to the heel of a right shoe, or a left shoe. One of the advantages of this, is that in case the wear on the rear of the heel .section occurs toward one side, such a heel section can be removed and placed on the other shoe, thereby equalizing the wear upon it, and virtually doubling the period of usefulness of the heel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction, which will hold the removable section very securely on the heel body, and to provide simple means for preventing the lateral shifting of the removable heel section on the heel A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping plate, which is employed in securing the detachable heel section to the heel body, and to give the clamping plate a construction, which enables it to be provided with spurs which can adapt the plateto perform the functions of an ice creeper, to prevent'a rubber heel from slipping on ice. This overcomes one of the objections to rubber heels, that do not give a secure footing on ice, particularly 'tvhen it is wet. It is also an object of the invention to construct this clamping plate so that it is interchangeable with other plates having sharp spurs to transform the heel into an ice creeper, and alsoto provide interchangeable clamping plates provided with spurs, which enable the heel to be transformed into a spiked heel for the use of golfers.

This occasions Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

' The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter,

all of which contribute to produce an eflicient shoe heel .construction.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broadscope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side'elevation of a rear portion of a shoebroken away, and illustrating the heel embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the heel, and rear portion of the shoe broken away in a front and rear direction.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through the heel on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the heel, with certain parts broken away and shown in section, and illustrating the heel with a clamping plate having short sharp spurs adapting the heel to perform the functions of an ice creeper or hold-fast.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4, and further illustrating means for preventing lateral movement of the detachable heel section on the heel body.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the inter-' changeable clamping plates, and illustrates such a plate formed with relatively long spikes, adapting the heel for transformation into a spiked heel for golfers. 1

Referring more particularly tothe parts, 1 indicates a lift, which is usually formed of leather,

and which is attached to the sole 2 of the shoe 7 immediately under its heel. In applying my invention, I prefer to form a shallow recess 3 on the underside of the lift, in which recess I secure an anchor plate 4. This anchor plate preferably consists of a piece of sheet metal conforming substantially to the shape of the heel, and secured in the recess by any suitable means, such as nails 5 driven through the plate from the under side,

and clinched over the upper face of the sole. Below the anchor plate I attach a heel body 6, and the rear and under portion of this body is formed with a deeprecess, bounded above by a horizontal face '7, and on the forward side by a substantially vertical face or shoulder 8. This shoulder 8 extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the heel, and preferably in such a way that this line is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the heel.- I prefer to have this shoulder 8 in the form of a curved line on a large radius, extending acres cated in Fig. 4. Fitting into tin. a detachable heel section contour of the heel, and which A curved forward face fit? f shoulder 8.

The body 6 of the heel he s under side of the lift 1, by any 5- This means is not illus" ted,

of the heel body and the lift 1. and the curved forward face 10 of the removable section 9, are provided with interlocking means to prevent lateral movement of the detachable heel section 9. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose, but I prefer to provide the shoulder with two sockets 11 located equidistant from the longitudinal axis of the heel, and I provide the forward face 10 with two corresponding projections or lugs 12, that are received in these sockets 11.

On the under side of the clamping plate 13, which is received in 14 which is formed in the nu s This recess is formed partiay the section 9, and partially in the body o beyond a-c forward of the shoulder 8,

(see, Fig. 2).

formed plurality outward." which extend a gene the center of the p' contour to fit the co. creases the secureness in position. The bf! received in the recess e rear of the shoulder 8, but the clamping plate has a tongue 16 that extends forwardly, being received in the fort/a portion of the recess 14.

The clamping plate is preferably made out of a resilient metal plate, which by its own resili ncy, to assume a conoavo cc-nvex form, (se ig. 6). The plate is attached with its concave de uppermost.

I provide simple detachable means for securing the clamping plate to the anchor plate 4, and I prefer to accomplish this by means of two clamping bolts 1'7 and 18, which are applied as indicated in Fig. 2. In order to accomplish this, I prefer to provide the anchor plate with a downwardly offset area forming a shallow pocket 19, and this offset area is countersunk down into the upper side of the heel body. Small openings 20 and 21 are punched in the anchor plate at the pocket 19, and at these openings, at diametrically opposite points, radial slots 22 are formed. These slots are in alignment with slots 22a cut in the wall of the holes for the bolts 17 and 18 where they pass through the heel body 6 and the detachable section 9. Openings 23 and .24iaare formed in the clamping plate in alignment with the openings 20 and 21 of the anchor plate, to receive the bolts 1'7 and 18. The openings 24 and 23 are provided with radial slots 25 similar to the slots 22. The bolts 1'7 and 18 are provided with cross pins 26. The slots in the plates permit these clamping bolts 17 and 18 to be inserted when the pins are in alignment with the slots. After being inserted, the inner ends of the bolts will be received in the pocket 19, and by rotating the bolts thereafter, the locking pins 26 can be brought out of line with the slots 22, so as to secure the bolts in position.

In order to insure that the bolts cannot rotate back to their releasing position, I prefer to provide the metal of the anchor plate at the botgrooves about T" cl-.s

the anchor plate. 'vVi 1 his cons .cticz, it will be evident that le heel section a has becom= worn, the bolts can. be very r0 7 go tated through 90 to their releasing position, in which the cross pins 26 will come in line with the slots 22, 22a. The bolts "1 then be removed and a new heel section 9 SL. ed.

For ordinary use the plate 1.: will be of pla form, that is to say, it will be devoid of spurs spikes, but I prefer to provide in ichangeable plates such as the plate 1?" inc provided with integral downwardly spurs 29. When desired to give the heel the effect of an ice creeper, onte i' "ill be subst tuted. The tips s as the r 1 ally line (See Fig. 5).

in desired. I pro ide an iute plate 13? constructed This plate is substantially the c ""51, except ,...vely long at.) wardly proices 31, which preferably have blunt tips, such as indica d. These 3 project a considerable distance bel toe ricttzm face 30 of the heel, and will give th ."leel a good grip on the ground, to prevent the 1 from slipin playing g It is understood 3118.1] the e ibodiment of the invention describ :l -.erein, is only one of the this invention and "ited in the practice of t'xe claims, to the particular invention, nor in embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:

1. In a shoe heel construction, a heel body i? V ing a transverse recess formed in its lower race at the rear portion thereof, said recess having a curved shoulder extending transversely on the heel body, a heel section. fitting substantially to the contour of the heel body and having a curved forward face fitting against said curved shoulder, said shoulder and said curved forward face having interlocking means for preventing lateral movement of the heel section on the heel body, a clamping plate lying under the said heel section and having a forwardly extending tongue located substantially on the central axis of the heel body, quick detachable means passing through the body of the clamping plate and the said heel section for securing the same to the heel body, and quick detachable means passing through said tongue for securing the same to the heel body.

2. In a shoe heel construction, a heel body having a transverse recess formed in its lower face at the rear portion thereof, said recess having a curved shoulder extending transversely on the ing plate lying under the said heel section and having a forwardly extending tongue located substantially on the central axis of the heel bothr, quick detachable means passing through the body of the clamping plate and the said heel section for securing the same to the heel body, and quick detachable means passing through said tongue for securing the same to the heel body.

3. In a shoe heel construction, a heel-lift, an anchor plate secured to the under face thereof, a heel-body of elastic material attached to the under side of the heel-lift, having a transverse recess formed in its lower face at the rear portion thereof, said recess having a shoulder extending transversely on the heel body, a heel section of elastic material fitting into the said recess, fitting substantially to the contour of the heel body, and having a forward face fitting against said shoulder, said shoulder and said forward face having interlocking means for preventing lateral movement of the heel-section on the heel-body, a clamping plate lying under the said heel-section, said clamping plate being of resilient material .and tending by its own resiliency to assume a concavo-convex form with the concave side of the plate disposed upwardly, said plate having a forwardly extending tongue projecting across the said shoulder, a locking-bolt-passing through the body of said clamping plate and having means at its inner end for detachably interlocking with the anchor plate, and a locking-bolt passing through the said tongue and having means for interlocking with the forward portion of said-anchor plate.

4. In a shoe heel construction, a heel-lift, an anchor plate secured to the under face thereof,

a heel-body of elastic material secured to the heel-lift under the anchor plate and having a transverse recess formed in its lower face at the a rear portion thereof, said recess having a shoulder extending transversely on the heel-body and located under the said anchor plate, a heel-section of elastic material fitting into the said recess and fitting substantially to the contour of the heel-body, and having a forward face fitting against said shoulder, said shoulder and said forward face having interlocking means for prevent'-.

ing lateral movement of the heel-section on the heel-body, a clamping plate having a body lying under the said heel-section and having a tongue extending across the said shoulder, a locking bolt passing up through the body of said clamping plate, and having means at its inner' end fordetachably interlocking the same with the anchor plate, and a locking bolt passing upwardly through the said tongue-and having means at its upper end for interlocking with the forward portion .of said anchor plate.

5. In a shoe heel construction, aheel-lift, an anchor plate secured to the under face thereof, a heel-body of elastic material secured to the heellift under the anchor plate and having a' transverse recess formed in its lower face at the rear said shoulder, said shoulder and said forward face having interlocking means for preventing lateral movement of the heel-section on the heel body, a clamping plate having a body lying under the said heel-section and having a tongue extending across the said shoulder, a locking bolt passing up through, the body of said clamping plate, and

having means at its inner end for detachably interlocking the same with the anchor plate, and a locking bolt passing upwardly through the said tongue and having means at its upper end for interlocking with the forward portion of said anchor plate, the body of said clamping plate,

having a plurality of spurs projecting downwardly on the under side thereof.

6. In a shoe heel construction, a heel-lift, an

anchor plate secured to the under side of the heel lift, said anchor plate having a downwardly off-h set area forming a shallow pocket on its upper face, a heel-body of elastic materialattached to the underside of the heel-lift, said heel-body having a transverse recess formed in its lower face at the .rear portion thereof, said recess having a shoulder extending transversely on the heel-body, a heel-section of elastic material fitting into the said recess, fitting substantially to the contour of the heel-body and having a forward face fitting against said shoulder, interlocking means between the shoulder and the forward face for pre venting lateral'movement of the heel-section on the heel-body,,a clamping plate lying under the said heel-section, said clamping plate being of resilient material and tending by its own resiliency to assume a concavo-convex' form with the concave side of the plate disposed upwardly, said plate having a forwardly extending tongue projecting across the said shoulder, a locking-bolt passing through the body of said clamping plate and having a transverse locking pin at its inner end, the offset portion of said anchor plate having an opening to receive the inner end of the said bolt,

and enable the same to interlock by rotation of the bolt after the pin is passed into the said pocket, a locking-bolt passing upwardly through the said tongue and having a locking pin on its upper end, said anchor plate having-an opening therein to'receive the inner end of the last-named bolt,

and cooperating with the same when the bolt is rotated, to lock the bolt to the anchor plate, the body-of said clamping plate having extensions projecting toward the sides of the heel and .in a general radial direction from the first-named locking-bolt and operating to exert an upward pressure against the under-face of the heel-section. Y THEODORE WERKDLAN. 

